White Christmas
by neonntiger2
Summary: Gene wanted Harlow to have a white Christmas.


Gene sat in the hotel room window sill as he stared down at the cityscape below. Even at 3:42 am, people strolled down the sidewalks and drove down the streets as though it were the middle of the day. Gene sighed. He tilted his head to the side until his temple leaned against the cold glass. He hugged his knees tight to his chest before glancing over his shoulder.

Beneath a mountain of blankets and last night's clothes, Harlow slept soundly. She had been asleep since the early evening. Gene could see the top of her head with her messy brown hair scattered over her pillow. He considered joining her in bed but he felt wide awake and he knew Harlow would be none too pleased if he ended up tossing and turning beside her. He sighed again and turned his gaze back out the window.

Despite having spent all of Christmas day up and on his feet with Harlow, Gene felt wide awake now. Disappointment nagged him wildly as he stared down at the city below. The trip to New York was made on Gene's silly hope that it would be snowy. It would have been Harlow's first Christmas in Beverly Hills if they had stayed at Gene's house, but he wanted her to have a white Christmas. He insisted it would snow in New York. He convinced himself he was right. Now, he realized as he sat and stared down at the bare streets, he was wrong, and he felt terribly for it. Harlow assured him a dozen times throughout the day that she wasn't bothered by the lack of snow, but Gene still felt bad.

Gene's eyelids drooped suddenly and he let out a quiet, growling yawn into his forearms. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes and then hopped down from the window sill. He tip-toed across the bedroom to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He stared at himself in the mirror for a long time before returning to the window. He glanced at outside for a second and then turned to head towards the bed. He stopped. He turned back around and practically lunged at the window.

Fat snowflakes swayed gently down towards the street. He blinked furiously to make sure he wasn't hallucinating and then took a running jump into bed. Harlow's body bounced and she grumbled tiredly.

"Genie," she muttered.

"Harlow!" He shoved the blankets off her to grab her shoulders. "Wake up!"

"No," she whined, trying to shuffle away from him.

"Harlow, you have to wake up!" he squeaked, shaking her more.

"No, Genie," she answered flatly.

She rolled away from Gene until she rolled right off the bed. She hit the floor on her side with a painful thud and lay there forcing herself to wake up. Gene peered down at her from over the edge of the bed. When Harlow looked up at him, she couldn't help but laugh.

"I take it you're not hurt," Gene said sheepishly.

She shook her head and sat up slowly. "I'm fine," she told him. "You've succeeded in waking me up, though."

"Good!" He chirped.

Gene dove off the bed and onto the floor like a lion pouncing on prey. Crouching down in front of her, he drummed her knees like bongos. Harlow giggled and tried to grab his hands to make him stop, but he was twitching around like a lightning bolt and Harlow wasn't lucid enough to keep up.

"Put me back to bed," she whimpered between laughs. "I'm so tired, Gene!"

"Come see this first, Harlow, please," he begged.

He jumped to his feet and held his hands down to Harlow. She looked up at them. He wiggled his fingers. Harlow turned away and lay back down on the floor, on her side, and feigned loud snores. Gene chuckled under his breath and bent over. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her over to the window.

"Look outside," he said.

"It's nighttime, Gene, I know."

"Harlow, please look outside," he bounced her slightly in his arms.

Harlow shook her head as she nuzzled her face against Gene's shoulders. His excitement calmed for a moment when he felt her sigh against him. He could feel her warm breath through the fabric of his shirt and the sensation pleased him. He looked down at his barely-awake girlfriend and blew a rogue curl of hair from her eyes.

He sat down on the window sill still cradling her and lowered his head to kiss her forehead gently. He could hear her soft snores and he knew she was asleep again. Gene remained at the window sill holding Harlow and watching the snow fall until he began to feel tired. He put Harlow down on her side of the bed and crawled in next to her.

As he pulled the covers up over her, he moved his head to her pillow and kissed her behind her ear. He knew she would be thrilled in the morning.


End file.
